The next step
by freakyfurby101
Summary: Ginny sits alone in the common room after the battle. Will she let her emotions get the best of her or will she let Happiness be the emtion that wins out in the end....this is my first fic so be nice please....
1. Chapter 1

_So this is my first story--I don't own any of J.K Rowling's work I just live in her world--please be kind I'm new at doing this--Constructive criticism is welcome._

It was over. For more than a year Ginny sat and wondered whether or not he would return. Alive or otherwise. In the end he came back, and he saved everyone. As she sat in the vacant common room, she swam through many different emotions. Sadness, anger, frustration, guilt, hope, there was even a hint of happiness there. However confusion was the most prominent.

After everything that had happened, Ginny wondered what direction her life would turn now. Would Harry come back to her after all he'd been through and did she even want him to?

She was angry at him. He left her to go to Hogwarts alone. She cringed as she thought about what she went through. The Carrows, they were vile human beings if that's what they really were. Ginny remembered detention with them. Students in the Carrow's detention were forced to be put through the Cruciatus Curse. Ginny's body gave a involuntary shiver when she remembered the pain. But could she really blame Harry for the torture she endured during the past year? She knew that it wasn't his fault but in her heart she held him responsible, and she would let him know it.

Her eyes scanned the common room. Everyone was still in the Great Hall celebrating. The silence in the room was deafening. She knew that she could go and join the festivities that were taking place but she had the knowledge that she would not enjoy herself.

The loneliness and despair settled in her stomach abs she felt it spread through her whole body. She knew that she shouldn't feel this way. She should be joyful that Voldemort was gone, but how could she when her brother was too.

Fred……thinking about him even in death brought a smile to her face. Would she blame Harry for Fred?

Ginny thought about that mental question for a moment. She shook her head, she would never do that to Harry and she mentally reprimanded herself for even thinking about that.

Ginny shivered and noticed for the first time that it was rather dark and without a fire it was very cold. To resolve this problem she took out her wand and muttered a spell into the fire place. She watched as the flame came to life and danced before her. She felt the fire warm her body and some of the despair and loneliness dissipated from her. Now she some how felt a little better.

Some where deep inside, Ginny knew that even though life was a hell of a lot less than perfect at the moment. She knew that somehow everything was going to be ok…eventually. Maybe eventually she could forgive.

Forgiveness, was this an act or just another emotion to put on the list. Ginny's mind drifted back to Harry. She knew that in order for her to forgive him she would have to place trust in him again.

Trust another silly human emotion. However the strongest human emotion flowing through Ginny was love. No matter what Ginny thought or felt she loved Harry Potter, and she would continue to love him. But even is he did come for her, she knew that she couldn't be with him after all he'd put her through.

At what point had she fallen in love with him? Ginny supposed she had always loved him. She never thought that she would be so angry with him that she would break her own heart.

Just then she was torn away from her mental hell when the common room door swung open. She held her breath when she saw the familiar hear of raven hair climb through the portrait hole.

Harry looked up and met her eyes

"Ginny"

It was barley a whisper but she had heard if as if he screamed it through the castle.

_Ok so there was chapter one--let me know what you guys think--tell me if you want the next chapter or if it was terrible and I should never post again--let me know REVIEW!!_


	2. Chapter 2

Alright so here's chapter 2

_Alright so here's chapter 2…Again I don't own any of J.K Rowling's work I just live in her world…._

Harry slowly walked across the room and sank into the chair opposite Ginny. Ginny took the opportunity to examine his face. He no longer possessed the boyish face as he did when he left. It not had a stone like quality to it perhaps from all he'd been through. In the light of the fire she noticed that he acquired a few new scare as well. They seemed to shine in the light. Then there were his eyes.

His emerald orbs danced with what seemed like a slew of emotions. With all the changes his face had gone through his eyes remained the same. She stared into them trying to see what emotions were running through his body.

Then he spoke. It was so soft she almost missed it.

"You must be very angry at me."

She looked into his eyes again and saw agony.

"What makes you say that?"

Her reply was calm though her insides were screaming to lunge at him. She wanted to cause him as much pain as he caused her. Even if that pain was physical.

Harry took in his surroundings as he chose his next words.

"Because your brother is gone."

Ginny looked at Harry, her anger grew into something more. Was it disgust or was it something else? She jumped up from her seat.

"I can't believe you Harry out of all the things that I could be angry at you for and all that I am angry at you for you choose Fred"

Harry appeared frightened though she knew that he would never admit it. Once again he looked around the room. He gave his reply to the ceiling.

"So you are angry at me then?"

"Look at me when you speak, you owe me that much at least."

She spat the words and she regretted her tone almost immediately. He quickly turned his full attention to her. He mumbled an apology before she began again.

"Why shouldn't I be angry at you? You left me here alone to rot in this…..this place they called a school."

She was losing her composure but she didn't care. Her tears stung her eyes, and the volume she was yelling was causing her throat to protest.

"I left you so you would be…."

She would not allow him to finish his statement.

"SAFE…. Harry I don't know what you heard but Hogwarts was not safe. Between learning unforgivable curses in Dark Arts and being put under the Cruciatus Curse in detention….I went to my dorm every night wondering if I would live to see another day."

There was a flicker of fire in Harry's eyes. The bright emerald green some how turned a shade darker. Was it anger, frustration or both? Had she angered him?

"What?"

His tone was dangerous. She backed away slightly but would not loose her ground.

"I think that you heard me clearly. While you were off saving the world, I was stuck in this prison being tortured"

Harry took a step towards her his arms open for a embrace. She knew that if he got his arms around her she would melt. Instead she took a step back.

"Don't you touch me!"

Harry let his arms fall to his sides.

"I'm sorry."

His reply was solemn. She heard and felt all the sadness in his voice. When he looked up at her again his eyes had returned back to their normal color and Ginny could tell they were swimming with unshed tears.

"You should be, I don't ever want you to worry about my safety ever again do you hear me Harry."

Harry stared into the fire and smirked as if recalling a memory.

"Ginny listen after tonight I will never be ignorant to your ability to take care of yourself ever again. You fought brilliantly."

Ginny smiled and slightly dipped her head to show acknowledgement. Harry gestured her to take a seat. She obliged and he re-occupied the one he had before.

They sat in silence for a long while. The fire eventually died leaving nothing but hot embers that glowed in the dark. A short time later the sun rose. The pink and gold slowly painted its way across its light blue back drop. The slowly brought the temperature back up in the room.

"Ginny I was just wondering….would….I mean could we….get back together?"

Harry struggled with his question as though scared to know the answer. Ginny looked at Harry in shock. She had expected he might come back to her at some point. Out of all the emotions she thought that she should feel, she never thought that shocked would be one of them.

She opened her mouth to give her reply. However in Ginny's one moment of clarity the door to the common room swung open and all of their fellow Gyriffindors poured in the room, along with some adults including her parents

Ginny sighed in relief this conversation would come another day.

_Well that was chapter 2….let me know what you guys think….let me get some reviews man!!...let me know if you want to hear more and Ill get started with the next chapter…._


	3. Chapter 3

Hogwarts had never looked more amazing to Ginny then it did at that moment

_Ok so here is Chapter 3--It's a little later then I thought it was going to be--but here it is--enjoy oh yea and I don't own J.K Rowling's work…….I just live in her world_

Hogwarts had never looked more amazing to Ginny then it did at that moment. The debris, blood and holes had magically disappeared with in hours of the battle. Even the grounds repaired by magic.

As she looked out to the black lake she thought about what was going to happen next. Walking along the waters edge as she thought, it had been three days since the final battle. It had been three days since her first encounter with Harry. He had approached Ginny on a few other occasions since then but ever time Harry brought up their relationship, much to Ginny's relief they were conveniently interrupted.

Ginny was so deep in thought that she failed to notice the tree leg on the ground. Inevitably she tripped and she braced her self for the hard impact that she would soon feel. Then out of no where he was there with his callused hands on her shoulders.

Ginny looked up to see his shinning emerald eyes, they seemed to be mocking her.

"Well Mr. Potter you seem to always catch me when I'm falling."

He gave a snide smile. Ginny suddenly became aware of Harry's hands on her bare shoulders. It was the first physical contact that they had since his return and the feeling to Ginny was electric. She shivered and carefully removed her self from his grip.

"You have been avoiding me."

His tone was light and questioning yet it was a statement rather then a question.

"And you sir have been following me."

"I won't deny that, I want to talk about us, free of distractions."

Ginny looked to the sky. The sun was setting leaving a pink and purple hue across the sky. She thought that she could put this conversation of forever. She thought wrong.

"Listen Harry I don't think that we can be together right now"

She did not look down from the sky as she said this, but she felt Harry tense next to her. She looked down to Harry only to see his face had twisted, making his new scars more prominent. Ginny suppressed the urge to run her fingers along them.

What kind of monster was she? This boy defeated Voldemort and now all he wanted to do was be with her, but she had to go and break his heart.

"Look Harry to much has happened for me to just waltz right back into our relationship. You hurt me."

He looked up at her his eyes a darker shade of green that Ginny never saw before. Was it disappointment or something else? She knew that emotion somewhere.

"Ginny I know that I hurt you. I never meant to do that to you."

There was the shine again; she was slowly beginning to see what the flicker in his eyes was.

"But you did hurt me, and nothing is going to change that. Harry I love you but you broke all the trust that I had."

There it was love, that was the shimmer in Harry's eyes. Did he love her?

"You love me?"

"Harry you should know that already, but it doesn't change anything."

He nodded

"Well then I guess this means that I will have to spend the rest of my life trying to make that up to you."

Harry smiled and held out his hand. Ginny smiled back and took his out stretched hand. Harry formally shook her hand and gave a slight bow.

"Miss. Weasley I think that this is the beginning of a wonderful friendship."

Ginny gave a slight laugh.

"Well Mr. Potter my friend, why don't we stroll back up to the castle and pack the rest of out belongings."

The tension in the air lifted and turned light and flirtatious in a way. Harry extended his arm into a loop and Ginny slid her arm through.

They made light conversation all during their trudge to the castle and walked through the large oak doors as the last rays of purple and pink disappeared over the forbidden forest.

_Well there it is I'm not done yet chapter 4 might be a little while……I don't think that this chapter was as good as the others but you guys let my know……reviews please I like to hear what you guys think_


	4. Chapter 4

Hey there every one...just writing this note to say that I have been working on the next chapter for anyone who wants to read it...I got a review that was a little discouraging...I know that I shouldn't let less than perfect review get to me but it kind of put a huge writers block in my way...to any one a little lost in my story it is DH compliant...to the bed reviewer I would just like to say that this is a FAN FICTION it is canon the way I saw it in my head when Rowling completed her story so if you didn't like it you could have kept that to your self


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